Students, staff protest University of Windsor layoffs amid budget crisis

Protesters rallied at the university, pushing back against cuts made to manage a major budget shortfall. CTV Windsor’s Travis Fortnum was there.

A wave of job cuts and administrative restructuring at the University of Windsor has sparked student and staff protest, with demonstrators calling for greater transparency and student involvement in decision-making.

The layoffs, part of an effort to address a projected $30-million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 fiscal year, have drawn criticism from faculty, staff and students who fear the cuts will negatively impact the quality of education and student services.

On Tuesday, a crowd gathered on campus, chanting in opposition to the changes.

The latest round of layoffs includes 56 unionized positions, eight of which were already vacant.

While 29 new positions are being created, the net result is a loss of 27 jobs.

This follows a restructuring in the fall that affected 26 non-union positions.

Budget pressures and student concerns

The University of Windsor attributes its financial struggles to multiple factors, including a provincial tuition freeze and declining international student enrollment due to federal government restrictions.

In a statement to CTV News, the university acknowledged that the cuts are “difficult” but emphasized its commitment to maintaining academic excellence and the student experience.

The administration has invited students and staff to submit input through an online feedback portal as it seeks cost-saving measures.

Protest organizer Sean O’Neil, a fourth-year student, expressed frustration over the impact of the cuts, particularly within the Faculty of Arts, Communications and Social Sciences.

“One of the major cuts that they’re making is that they’re reducing our secretaries down,” O’Neil said. “We previously had about 30 secretaries — they’re cutting that down to about ten. So that’s way too little... the ratio is completely off.”

O’Neil also highlighted concerns over reduced course availability, which he says will limit students’ access to education and essential resources.

“Some of our programs can’t even enroll first-years next year because they don’t have enough professors to teach courses,” he added. “It’s not a great time on campus, it doesn’t feel nice.”

Despite acknowledging the financial challenges, O’Neil believes the university should be more transparent and engage students in shaping its response.

“We’re the lifeline of this university,” he said. “Students are the ones who are paying tuition. Their ideas, their recommendations need to be taken into consideration.”

Impact on staff and faculty

Kristen Siapas, president of CUPE Local 1393 and one of the employees affected by the layoffs, described the personal toll of the job cuts.

“It is absolutely emotionally draining to have to go through this process,” she said. “We have a great deal of passion for the specific jobs that we have, and we’re very lucky to have a strong collective agreement that helps to support us... but it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to go through the gut-wrenching process of having lost our positions.”

Siapas, who was previously laid off when the university cut the University Players theatre program last year, criticized the university’s claim that the layoffs will have minimal impact on students.

“Regardless of what the university says, there is going to be an impact to students,” she said. “There is going to be something noticeable, and it’s going to be very difficult for this university for years in the future.”

Provincial and university responses

The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities attributed the financial difficulties facing postsecondary institutions to external factors, including federal government policy changes.

“Our postsecondary sector, including the University of Windsor, is going through a rebalancing right now due to the federal government’s changes,” said Bianca Giacoboni, press secretary for Minister Nolan Quinn in a statement sent to CTV News. “Any decisions related to programming, human resources, and budgeting lie solely with the institution.”

In a letter to faculty and staff on March 4, University of Windsor President Robert Gordon outlined the administration’s approach to addressing the financial crisis.

The letter detailed various cost-saving initiatives, including centralizing IT, communications, and advancement services, as well as reviewing academic resource allocation.

Gordon also emphasized the university’s commitment to minimizing job losses by first eliminating vacant positions and offering voluntary early retirement and severance packages.

“Change is never easy, especially when it has an impact on colleagues and how we work together,” Gordon wrote. “We are committed to doing everything we can to support people through this transition.”

What comes next?

As the layoff and restructuring process continues, students and staff remain concerned about the long-term effects on campus life and academic programs.

Protesters are calling for increased transparency and student representation in university decision-making, while impacted employees worry about job security and service quality.

For O’Neil, the fight isn’t over.

He says more events will be held through the week aimed at educating other students and keeping the conversation going.

“We hope to get a response from the office of the president and for them to be more transparent going forward,” said O’Neil.

Siapas echoed this sentiment.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see these students come together,” she said. “This university is built on the hard work of its staff and the passion of its students. We need to ensure their voices are heard.”

The university has encouraged members of the community to submit feedback on cost-cutting measures through an online portal, located at the bottom of it’s Operating Budget FAQs webpage.